Building the Galley Hatch

The fist step is to cut the hatch ribs. I used the wall template to create the first rib, then used that rib for the rest. Here I am lining up the pattern for the second hatch rib. Originally I thought I would use a router to cut each piece but the rib was a bit too flimsy so I traced it and used a jigsaw instead.

Here all 7 ribs (I had to make an extra one later). After the ribs were cut I clamped them together and used a rasp to make them as uniform as possible and smooth out the curves. It was important to get these smooth or else my plywood skin might be lumpy or uneven.

Using clamps to hold the ribs on with a piece of 1/4″ scrap to allow for the hatch movement.

Allowing space for the hatch and galley skins, each 1/8″.

I used double thick ribs on the outside for rigidity and allow space for the hatch struts to be installed. It will also help distribute the load of the hatch struts which will bolt directly to this section.

The ribs were secured with short deck screws for fitting and once the measurements are complete for the cross members, it will be reassembled with Titebond III wood glue.

Here you can see the 3/8″ gap for the hurricane hinge installation.

The cross members were installed with glue and brad nails to hold them while the glue dried.

Material from the outside rib was removed to allow space for the hatch struts to be installed. When fully closed the a large portion of the struts will rest inside this gap.

The larger blocks here are needed to back the lights and locking assembly which will be installed later.

The hatch is heavy… It probably weighs 80-100 pounds but I could have made it lighter I’m sure and have been fine. This would allow you to lift it manually and have a support which holds it in the open position. I believe the Camp Inn teardrops do this very thing and have a very nice wooden support.

The spring supports scare me because if you accidentally hit the spring for any reason the whole thing will drop on your head. The wooden supports I have seen lock into place and are very secure.

That’s a great idea! I have never considered those but they would probably work and look to be quite compact.

David

The springs have an offset on one of the arms. If you look at the ones in the picture you will notice that both arms are straight. I had to straighten out the offset so that they would be flush. If one pair of these are not strong enough you can double them by placing a right and a left together with the springs facing out on each side of the hatch. The cutout on your hatch looks like it should be wide enough for them to fit.

Ryan, thank you so much for posting such great detail on your teardrop build. My husband and I have enjoyed following your plans and building our own. You have created a great teardrop!

If you are interested, I created a CAD file for CNC cut sheets on the cabinetry, sidewalls, and hatch struts.

We purchased gas springs that match your specifications on the itemized list. When we test fit everything prior to staining/varnishing, we installed one gas spring and could not get it to compress. Before we start drilling holes for the second gas spring, I wanted to get your input. Is there a trick to the springs? Should they compress without difficulty?

Very cool! I would gladly take your CNC specs and add them to the website. Email them to me at ryan at teardropbuilder dot com. If you want to send some pictures my way of your build I will post them as well.

The hatch struts are a fickle beast. You will likely not be able to compress them (safely) until they are both installed in the galley. You will have to ensure your clearance and angles are correct and hope for the best. I have a couple extra small holes near my mount in my galley as proof of this where I was forced to remount one of them because I got the clearance wrong.

Good luck!

Martin Peat

Jenna, I’m embarking on some pre-planning… would be interested in the CAD files if you’re willing to share… martinpeat at gmail dot com

Ryan,
I see you used quite a bit more support framing in your galley hatch than in your main roof. Then, in some comments, I see you say that if you had it to do again, you’d make the hatch lighter. Do you think the hatch would be sufficiently strong and stiff if it were framed more like your main roof, with ribs on the sides only (maybe one down the middle)?

Weight is a killer for sure. The roof is reinforced by the walls and the hatch doesn’t have that support so I would recommend at least a couple ribs in the center to prevent the frame from twisting. If I did it again I would use 2 internal ribs instead of 4, and reduce the number of cross supports as well.

David

Ryan,
Your camper is awesome. I noticed that several people on this site as well as other sites have had a problem with cold temperatures effecting the support shocks. Has anyone ever tried hood support springs? A couple of years ago I built a hog cooker. I know we are talking about teardrop campers but this will make sense when you see the picture. When I started gathering information I heard and read about similar comments about the shocks and temperature causing failure. While looking at other builds I saw hood springs on one build so that is what I used. I’m not sure what my grill lid weighs but I can say it is heavy. For my grill I turned them around backwards because I installed them on the outside away from heat. Anyone who owns a GM or Caddillac pickup or suv has seen these.

on the gas springs: would you recommend going with the 130lbs force version or with ones with less or more lbs force? I assume the gas expands/ contracts when it’s cold or warm so wondering if 130lbs is the best choice. How has your experience been so far?

It all depends on the weight of hatch and the angle of your mounting. For mine I started out with 90 or 100 and ended up moving to 110, 120, and finally 130. There is some guesswork so make sure you order them from somewhere that takes returns like McMaster-Carr 🙂

Cold weather affects its lift capacity by 15% so make sure it has plenty of strength if you are building and testing in the warmer months so you are not surprised in the colder ones. Also after a couple years you will notice some loss of force as some gas naturally escapes over time.